Alternative singer/songwriter Bebe went into seclusion for a few years after she broke into the Latin pop mainstream with the album Pafuera Telarañas (2004), which spawned the smash hit Malo, earned her five Latin Grammy nominations (including a win for Best New Artist), and spent over two years on the Spanish charts. She went on sabbatical in 2006 as a musical performer and tried her hand at acting, appearing in several films and releasing the one-off soundtrack inclusion Tiempo Pequeño. Not until three years later did Bebe return with Y., the eagerly awaited follow-up album to Pafuera Telarañas. While both albums were produced by Carlos Jean, they're remarkably different in approach. Whereas Pafuera Telarañas is brash in attitude and uptempo in style, incorporating not only alternative rock but also downtempo electronica beats, Y. is relatively downcast in attitude and stripped-down in style, emphasizing acoustic rather than electric instrumentation. Rest assured that it's not an entirely acoustic album. The type of downtempo beats that Jean programmed for Pafuera Telarañas can also be found on Y., but they're far more subtle (as on the album-opening highlight No Más Llorá and the laid-back grooves of Busco Me, for instance). What stands out above all are the rough-hewn vocals of Bebe and the hypnotic flamenco guitar of Diego Pozo of Los Delinqüentes, particularly on the second song, the impressive lead single Me Fui. Pozo is one of several musicians who lend a hand to Y., an alternative singer/songwriter album that rightfully emphasizes the lyrical and vocal talents of Bebe yet is also interesting from a musical standpoint. Given the widespread appeal of Pafuera Telarañas, there are sure to be some fans of that album who will be disappointed by the more downcast and stripped-down approach of Y., whose charms are less immediate and highlights less clear-cut. Y. is a great album nonetheless, a boldly creative effort by Bebe that showcases not only her talent as an alternative singer/songwriter but also her originality and defiance of Latin pop mainstream expectations. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi

1		No + Llorá
2		Me Fui
3		Busco-Me
4		Sinsentido
5		Escuece
6		Cuanto + Me Sujetas
7		Que Mimporta
8		La Bicha
9		Se Fue
10		Pa una Isla
11		Nostaré
12		Pa Mi Casa
13		Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh

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